With Love and Laughter, John Ritter

Table of Contents

With Love and Laughter is actress Amy Yasbeck’s most enduring memory of the life she shared with her husband, John Ritter. He was one of America’s most popular and beloved film and television actors. We welcomed him into our homes weekly with his Emmy Award–winning portrayal of Jack Tripper on Three’s Company and his hit comedy 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter.

On September 11, 2003, John Ritter’s death from an undiagnosed aortic dissection, at the age of fifty-four, shocked and saddened not only his family and friends but also his millions of fans around the world.

In this celebration of the life she shared with John, Yasbeck gives an emotionally honest account of navigating the shock and heartbreak of her family’s sudden loss. She honors his memory by recounting the lessons learned from her husband and his unique approach to life. She encourages us to enrich our own lives, as John did, by joyfully acknowledging our connectedness to one another. The tragedy of his untimely and avoidable death holds its own valuable lessons: life-saving ones. In 2007, John’s brother, Tom, empowered with the correct information about aortic aneurysm and dissection’s familial link, was properly diagnosed and his aneurysm was treated successfully. Knowing who is genetically at risk for this condition enables us all to avoid being blindsided by this insidious and often deadly disease. Here is an account of Yasbeck’s call to action for the public and medical community alike, culminating in the formation of the John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health and the Ritter Rules.

In this powerful memoir Amy Yasbeck shares her deeply personal and ultimately hopeful journey of surviving the devastating loss of her husband. Yasbeck looks back with anecdotes and memories from both John’s life and her own. Here are the unforgettable times she shared with a man who was adored for finding humor in everyday encounters, never failing to energize and entertain everyone around him. His philosophy was summed up by his favorite autograph for his fans, With Love and Laughter, John Ritter.

Amy Yasbeck’s powerful story reminds us that love never dies . . . and the laughter doesn’t have to end.AMY YASBECK